CHOCOWINITY — For the first time in a decade — since the Dwayne Kellum-coached, defending state-runner-up Seahawks finished 13-1 in 2005 — attention has shifted south of the Pamlico River. Southside is off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2010 and there’s no shortage of optimism surrounding the program. But regardless of the Seahawks’ record, the philosophy hasn’t changed. The major long-term goals have been kept internal and while confident, the coaching staff isn’t looking beyond the next opponent.

“We don’t let them buy into a lot of the hype,” said head coach Jeff Carrow. “It’s a double-edged sword for us — we want our name out there, want people to recognize our hard work, but we want our players to stay focused on what’s important to our team.

“As a coaching staff, we’re not a flashy group. We don’t go in there and talk about where we’re ranked. We focus on one game at a time and the chips will fall where they may.”

Playing smart, gritty football through the first five weeks, the Seahawks’ have stuck to their game plan accordingly, even in the face of adversity. When the offense has struggled, the defense has stepped up and vise versa. Now, with the week off, Carrow’s staff is focusing on the fundamentals, piecing together a puzzle that is nearly complete.

But one of those pieces was removed against Northside on Sept. 4. Fullback Dylan Lewis, the team’s second-leader rusher at that point, suffered a knee injury early in the second half. And for the second-straight season, his final in a Seahawk uniform, Lewis will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

“Unfortunately, we’re having to battle the same thing we did last year — we are banged up,” Carrow said. “Obviously losing Dylan is a huge loss to our team, not only in the physicality aspect, but his leadership on the field, developing into a positive leader. The loss is big for us, but our team has really embraced overcoming adversity. Now someone else has to step up, meet the challenge and learn from it.”

Luckily for Southside, the team’s backfield is stocked with options. In Lewis’ absence, running back Lawrence Brown and wingback Matt Baxter have flourished, compensating for his absence and leading the team both on the field and off. Brown leads the team with 698 yards on 86 carries to go along with four touchdowns. Baxter has rushed for just 378 yards in three games, but has found the endzone a team-high nine times.

Averaging 6.2 yards a carry, sophomore Brandon Sullivan, who received significant playing time late last season, has filled in nicely not only on offense, but at linebacker as well. Scrappy scat backs Amari Peele and Zikajah Crawford have also contributed on special teams and to an offense that’s averaging 38 points per game.

Carrow has stressed the importance of remaining humble through the success. And his players have conformed to their coach’s teachings, not backing down until the final horn sounds. It’s a mindset that saved the Seahawks against Riverside on Sept. 11 after facing a deficit for most of the game. As the Knights’ momentum swayed in the final quarter, Brown, Baxter and the defense capitalized, lifting Southside a 46-42 victory.

“Every game has been a battle in a different way, each game giving us a new challenge, whether that be defense, offense or special teams,” Carrow said. “Our kids fight, they really do. Whether we’re up in a game or down in a game, our kids are really playing hard, no matter the situation in a ballgame. We’ve been lucky to win some ballgames here, but every game has really presented us with a new challenge.”

Next week, Southside will close out nonconference play against a rejuvenated South Creek program, one that’s off to its best start in more than a decade. It’s a matchup the Southside coaching staff isn’t taking lightly, as the Cougars have the size up front and speed on defense to keep pace with virtually any 1-A offense.

Their coach, Grantley Mizelle, in his second year at the helm, has navigated South Creek to a 4-1 record, the only blemish being a one-point loss to Riverside on Sept. 4.

“Coach Mizelle has done a great job down there,” Carrow said. “He’s got the kids fired up and playing good ball. He has a very talented team, talent in all the right places. This is going to be a very good ballgame.”

In the CarolinaPreps.com 1-A Top 25 rankings, South Creek currently sits at No. 17 in the polls, while Riverside comes in at No. 16 and Southside at No. 15. But the list isn’t even an afterthought to the Seahawks, who are simply focused on the task at hand.

“We’re looking to bring football back to where it needs to be on this side of the river,” Carrow said. “Our kids embrace that, but we do want to keep our coaches and players humble.”